The present invention relates to a device for use in a mining raise. More particularly, the invention relates to a sleigh-shaped device having an adjustable base frame anchored to a pulley system to provide sliding movement of the device along a mining raise.
It is well known that underground excavations in rock are required for various civil engineering and mining applications. These excavations include shafts, ramps and raises. The shafts are substantially vertical and serve as main access from the surface to deep underground excavations. Raises are usually required as an access between underground levels or for other requirements, such as services or ventilation. Various labels are used to designate the raises depending on their use. For example, a xe2x80x9cmanwayxe2x80x9d is a raise used for personal access from level to level or for emergency evacuation. An xe2x80x9corepassxe2x80x9d is a raise used for ore transport from a working level to the skip. A xe2x80x9cwastepassxe2x80x9d is a raise used for when waste rock needs to be evacuated from the working area. A xe2x80x9cventilation raisexe2x80x9d is a raise used to provide air supply or exhaust in the underground openings. These different types of raises can have various dipping angles ranging from 45 to 90 degrees. Furthermore, both the shape and the size of their cross-section may vary. Therefore, it would be useful to provide a device which comprises various adjustable features enabling the device to adapt itself to the particular geometric configurations of various types of mining raises.
It is also known that, aside from actually digging the raise, ground support and/or equipment will have to be installed on the raise depending on its intended purpose (manway or any other of the aforementioned). Thus, once the excavation is done, various tasks are required to adapt the mine raise for its intended purpose. These tasks may be one or more of the following: scaling of the rock walls, rock bolting, installation of rails, installation of screens, covering the walls with shot-creet, installation of cables, duct or various utilities, and installation of ladders and guards. In order to do these various tasks, means have to be used to access the rock face in the raise. Therefore, it would be useful to provide a device which does not only give access to the rock face of the mining raise, but which also comprises an ergonomic stand structure allowing a workman to operate a tool for carrying out requested tasks along the raise with little effort.
Two of the most often used technologies for raise excavation and installation are, on the one hand, the Alimak(trademark) raise climber and, on the other hand, the one known as the scaffolding construction (timbers or aluminum modules). In both cases, the excavation and installation progress from the bottom of the raise and proceeds upwards. Usually, the raise will be excavated using successive rounds of explosives (usually 8 feet). In the case of the Alimak(trademark) technology, the work cycle includes installation of guiding rails to the rock face, drilling of the blast holes in the roof, blasting, scaling, ground support, and installation of rails to access the new roof. As a result thereof, the workmen are exposed to unsecured ground each time they have to travel up and down in the raise adding to the potential safety risk of this type of work. In the case of the scaffolding technology, either built from wood timbers or modular structures, the same risks exist. Therefore, it would be useful to provide a device which, instead of starting from the bottom of the raise and proceeding upwards, enables top to bottom sequence of work along the raise.
It is also known that the devices used for working in mining raises need to be very safe. Failure to do so may result in serious injuries or even death. A major problem inherent to the above-mentioned devices is that, as aforesaid, workmen are exposed to unsecured ground every time they have to travel up and down in the raise, adding to the potential safety risk of their work. In practice, the installation and mounting of a scaffolding or any similar type of structure which is raised up from the ground, is quite lengthy, cumbersome, difficult, and dangerous, especially when operating at precarious elevated heights. Furthermore, these types of structures do not allow the workmen to be equipped with adequate safety gear preventing them from falling. Moreover, it is also known that structures raised up from the ground, such as scaffoldings, become very unstable when they reach elevated heights. As a result of the above-mentioned problems inherent to the devices known in the art, it has been experienced that some workmen have fallen and have been seriously injured, either due to human error or to failure and/or improper operation of the devices. Therefore, it would be useful to provide a device which offers a newer and safer approach to working in mining raises and which comprises various safety features in order to provide not only better performance, but also greater safety to the users.
It is further known that most of the devices which are used for working in mining raises and are available in the trade, are quite elaborate and consist of various components which are intrinsically linked to one another. This makes these types of devices difficult to manufacture, assemble, maintain, and even repair. Furthermore, the above-mentioned devices tend to be bulky and heavy, making them difficult to move around from place to place inside the mine or even to ship to the mine itself. Therefore, it would be useful to provide a device which comprises a simple design and which is lightweight, thereby making it easier to manufacture, assemble, maintain, repair and/or move around.
The main objects of the present invention are to provide a device which satisfies each of the above-mentioned needs.
More particularly, a first object of the invention is to provide a device which comprises various adjustable features enabling the device to adapt itself to the particular geometric configurations of various types of mining raises.
A second object of the invention is to provide a device which gives not only access to the rock face of the mining raise, but which also comprises an ergonomic stand structure allowing a user to operate a tool for carrying out tasks along the raise with little effort.
A third object of the invention is to provide a device which, instead of being exclusively usable starting from the bottom of the raise and proceeding upwards, enables top to bottom sequence of work along the raise.
A fourth object of the invention is to provide a device which offers a newer and safer approach to working in mining raises and which comprises various safety features in order to not only provide better performance, but also greater safety to its users.
A fifth object of the invention is to provide a device which comprises a simple design and is lightweight, thereby making it easier to manufacture, assemble, maintain, repair and/or move around.
In accordance with the invention, the above objects are achieved by a sleigh-shaped device for use in a mining raise. This sleigh-shaped device has a longitudinal axis and a transverse axis, and comprises:
a base frame for sliding along the mining raise in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis, said base frame having a bottom surface with sliding means extending parallel to the longitudinal axis, and a top surface having front and rear opposite ends;
a tiltable platform pivotally mounted to the top surface of the base frame between the front and rear ends about a first axis parallel to the transverse axis;
platform adjusting means cooperating with the base frame and the tiltable platform for adjusting the tiltable platform with respect to the base frame; and
connecting means for anchoring the base frame to a pulley system to provide movement of the sleigh-shaped device along the mining raise, the front end of the base frame extending below the rear end of the same during movement of the sleigh-shaped device along the mining raise.
Preferably, the sleigh-shaped device further comprises:
a tiltable safety roof pivotally mounted to the top surface of the base frame between the rear end and the tiltable platform about a second axis parallel to the transverse axis, and
safety roof adjusting means cooperating with the base frame and the tiltable safety roof for adjusting the tiltable safety roof with respect to the base frame.
Preferably also, the sleigh-shaped device further comprises:
a tiltable safety fence pivotally mounted to the bottom surface of the base frame between two runners of the sliding means about a third axis parallel to the transverse axis; and
safety fence adjusting means cooperating with the base frame and the tiltable safety fence for adjusting the tiltable safety fence with respect to the base frame.
Preferably also, a first surface of the tiltable platform is provided with a tool for carrying out work in the mining raise, the tool being mounted on an ergonomic support, the ergonomic support being removably secured to the first surface of the platform.
The invention and its advantages will be better understood by reading the following non-restrictive description of a preferred embodiment thereof, made with reference to the accompanying drawings.